


Queen Mother

by angelontheoutskirts



Series: Queen Erica [9]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Archdemons (Dragon Age), Babies, Bittersweet Ending, Character Death, F/M, Gen, Grey Wardens, Grief/Mourning, Love, Sad, The Calling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 18:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6918646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelontheoutskirts/pseuds/angelontheoutskirts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A glimpse at what Erica Cousland's life might have been like if Alistair had died slaying the archdemon. </p><p>"...a child between two wardens…impossible” Wynne moved closer.<br/>“A miracle,” she corrected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Queen Mother

The Qunari’s hold had her restrained though she kicked and clawed at his thick skin. The sound of metal slicing through dragon scale made her freeze, now she was too late. The blast wave knocked them both back and then at last she was freed.  
“Ali!” She cried and rushed forward. Vaguely she heard horns announcing their victory and she wanted to snap at them. ‘Stop you fools! Don’t you understand?! Don’t you know?!’ instead she focused on her search. She caught sight of the familiar golden armor and sank to her knees as she reached the side of her fallen king. She quickly checked for the rise and fall of his chest, then his pulse, for any sign that Riordan was wrong and that they both lived through the battle. She looked to his face, streaked and splattered with ichor and blood from the battle, hazel eyes closed to a world he’d never see again. “You stupid, stupid boy…” She whispered, “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this…”  
“Erica” The sound of Wynne’s voice made her head snap up. The elderly mage stepped forward and two of the castle guards followed her. “Erica, they need to take him.”  
“No!” She screamed, crouching over the body protectively. Wynne sighed and Erica felt Sten once again take hold of her as the guards carried Alistair away. “No! Nonononono!” She reached out only to drop her hand as her love vanished. When Sten finally let go Erica reeled around, grief transforming into fury. “How dare you!” She shouted. “That blow was not meant for him to take! I was supposed to die, not him! Never him!”  
“He made us promise to stop you.” Wynne answered. “He ordered us.”  
“As king, well now your king is dead! Now Anora gets what she wanted! Now there’s no other options!”  
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” The mage’s eyes glanced at Erica’s stomach.  
“That can’t be, a child between two wardens…impossible” Wynne moved closer.  
“A miracle,” she corrected. 

Erica marched into the Landsmeet chamber, the same fire and determination blazed in her eyes as when she’d fought to put her love on the throne. Now he was gone, but she’d face the Void before denying her child, his heir, its birthright.  
“Alistair Theirin is dead.” She announced, her voice breaking as she said the words aloud. “He sacrificed himself to slay the archdemon and save Fereldan from the Blight.” There were gasps from around the room. “He was our king and he died our hero.” She was shaking now. “Alistair was the greatest man I ever met…and I’d hoped…to spend the rest of my life ruling beside him.” She took a deep breath to steady herself, glancing around the room. “Instead, I would ask the Landsmeet to make me Regent until the child I carry, the child of King Alistair, the last of Calenhad’s line, comes of age. Will you allow it?” The votes and cheers rang out but she barely registered them above the sound of her heart hammering in her chest. When at last the cry of “Long Live Queen Erica!” rang out she gave a small smile and pressed a hand to her stomach protectively. Now all she had to do was keep her child safe, and then maybe, she could keep a little bit of Alistair in the world. 

The black dress hung from her frame everywhere except her stomach which was beginning to swell, evidence of the new life growing within her. The Grand Cleric was speaking but Erica couldn’t make out the words, she stood frozen until a dainty gloved hand brushed against her own. She blinked, meeting the other woman’s teary eyes.  
“I’m sorry for your loss” Anora whispered. Erica nodded. It was almost a shame they’d been introduced as rivals, in another world they’d have been sisters. Now they were both widows, Erica had her child, but who did Anora have? Her husband and father were dead and she was no longer queen. She gave the other woman’s hand a small squeeze.  
“Thank you.” 

Sweat ran down her forehead as she let out another anguished scream. Anora held her hand and allowed her to squeeze it painfully tight as another contraction hit.  
“Just a few more.” The blonde urged. Erica shook her head.  
“I can’t,” She protested.  
“Yes you can, now push!” Erica’s cries filled the darkened chamber before being joined by a higher pitch wail.  
“A boy!” The healers cried out, taking the child to be cleaned and examined.  
“A boy?” Erica asked in amazement as the child was wrapped in a blanket before being handed to her. “A boy…” She whispered, smiling down at her son. He peered up at her with wide eyes, blinking as he adjusted to the light. They were blue, like all babies but Erica was sure they’d darken to that beautiful hazel with golden starbursts. Already her son had a tuft of fine strawberry blonde hair that she smoothed gently. Tears of joy and exhaustion sprung to her eyes as she pressed her lips to the baby’s forehead. “Hello little one.” She breathed. “I’m your Mama.”  
“What are you going to call him?” Anora asked softly. Erica hummed, her lips twitching.  
“I don’t suppose ‘The Grumpy One’ is appropriate…his name is Duncan…Duncan Alistair Theirin.” 

A warm breeze wafted through the gardens as Erica followed her son along the path. The toddler was chasing after butterflies, and giggling as each one escaped his grasping fingers. The queen smiled, tucking a loose curl behind her ear and dropping her fingers down to the pendant she wore around her neck. Her eyes drifted shut and if she tried hard enough she could pretend the warm summer sunshine was her lover’s lips resting upon her cheek. Her heart gave a familiar ache but she shook her head, opening her eyes.  
“Auntie Anora!” Duncan cheered and went sprinting towards the blonde who picked him up, laughing. Erica’s lips twitched upwards at the scene and the pain in her chest faded. 

Twenty years after the Blight, Erica could feel the whispers in the back of her mind growing louder. Her son was now King and she knew that with Anora acting as his advisor, Fereldan was in safe hands so she began preparations for her final journey to Orzammar and the deep roads below. She hugged Duncan tightly, kissing his cheek as they both tried to ignore the tears. Anora she gave a gentle hand squeeze and a firm nod before she left the palace. The journey took her less than a week and she quickly used her sharpened daggers to tear through darkspawn after darkspawn. Night after night she settled in to her bedroll in front of the fire and waited for the nightmares to come though on what she knew to be her last evening a different scene awaited for her in the Fade. 

“Erica…” His voice hadn’t changed in the decades they’d been parted nor had the rest of him. His eyes were still that beautiful hazel with golden starbursts that their son had indeed inherited. His grin was still that boyish smirk that made her heart flutter and his arms held her tight and safe against a firm muscled chest.  
“Ali…” She whispered against his skin, tears springing to her eyes. He wiped them away gently, kissing her hair.  
“I’m here.” He told her.  
“I missed you.”  
“I missed you too.” He then pulled back and his hand cupped her chin before he leaned down to press their lips together. She smiled against his mouth and looped her arms around him. The kiss wasn’t as passionate as other they’d shared but it called to the very core of her being. This man had been her soulmate, and now she was finally coming home.


End file.
